Proximity-based transaction device selection

ABSTRACT

Various embodiments herein each include at least one of systems, methods, software, and devices for proximity-based transaction device selection. One embodiment in the form of a method performed on a mobile device includes receiving a positioning signal and identifying a terminal associated with the positioning signal. An instruction may then be transmitted to the identified terminal via a wireless data communication device of the mobile device.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Most businesses, such as retail stores, restaurants, and other consumeroutlets, strive to make their payment transaction processes easy andconvenient for customers and cashiers. To these ends, businesses havestarted providing mobile computing devices, such as tablets includingpayment transaction processing apps, to their personnel for use inentering products and services to be purchased. Some such mobile devicesinclude payment card readers and the payment transaction processing appsthat may leverage a camera of the mobile device to scan productbarcodes. However, mobile devices are limited from performing certainfunctions that can be performed at more typical checkout stations, suchas printing a receipt and receiving cash and check payments as mobiledevices typically do not include a printer or a cash drawer.

To overcome these mobile device shortcomings in retail environments,solutions have come to market that allow certain payment transactionprocessing functions to be sent to more conventional terminals, such ascheckout stations, that include various peripheral devices supportingthe desired functions. However, these solutions involve risk andinconvenience. For example, when the unsupported function of the mobiledevice is receipt of a cash payment, the mobile device app may allow theclerk to open a cash drawer of a terminal. The cash drawer may belocated in a distant store location from the clerk. If the cash draweris opened when the clerk is not present at the site of the cash drawer,cash held in the drawer becomes unsecure and is subject to easy theft.Further, when the unsupported mobile device function is the printing ofa receipt and a terminal to which the receipt printing function is sentis not close, retrieving the receipt may be inconvenient for both theclerk and customer, thereby defeating the purpose of mobile device usagein making payment transaction processes convenient.

SUMMARY

Various embodiments herein each include at least one of systems,methods, software, and devices for proximity-based transaction deviceselection.

One embodiment in the form of a method performed on a mobile deviceincludes receiving a positioning signal and identifying a terminalassociated with the positioning signal. An instruction may then betransmitted to the identified terminal via a wireless data communicationdevice of the mobile device.

Another method embodiment includes identifying a terminal associatedwith a positioning signal received via at least one transceiver deviceof the computing device and transmitting, via at least one transceiverdevice to the identified terminal, an instruction for the identifiedterminal to perform a data processing task related to a paymenttransaction initiated with an application that executes on a deviceperforming the method.

A further embodiment is a mobile device. The mobile device includes atleast one data communication transceiver device, at least one processorand at least one memory device. The memory device stores instructionsexecutable by the at least one processor to process a positioning signalreceived via at least one data communication transceiver device toidentify at least one terminal associated with the positioning signal.The instructions are further executable to receive user input into andprovide a view on a display of the mobile device with regard to apayment transaction initiated thereon. The mobile device may furtherreceive an input command to perform a payment transaction function thatis not supported on the mobile device but is supported on the identifiedterminal. The instructions are further executable in such circumstancesto transmit a command and any data for performance of the command viathe data communication transceiver device to the identified terminal.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a map of devices and system components deployed in retailenvironment, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a logical block diagram of mobile device, according to anexample embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block flow diagram of a method, according to an exampleembodiment.

FIG. 4 is a block flow diagram of a method, according to an exampleembodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various embodiments herein each include at least one of systems,methods, software, and devices for proximity-based transaction deviceselection. The various embodiments described herein are describedprimarily in the context of payment transactions. However, someembodiments may be implemented in other contexts. Such other contextsmay include airport check in and choosing a printer on which to print aboarding pass, gift registry where there are no payments made, libraryitem checkout, facility monitoring such as for locking and unlockingdoors and lockers or adjusting lighting or heating, ventilation, andcooling systems, and the like. The basic premise of some embodiments isfiltering options presented on mobile devices through identification ofdevices proximately located to a mobile device.

For example, some such embodiments enable clerks, waiters, and otherpersonnel utilizing mobile devices to assist customers during a checkoutprocess to access devices coupled to terminals to perform paymenttransaction processing functions that are unsupported by the mobiledevices. In other embodiments, a customer may utilize their own mobiledevice, such as a tablet or smartphone with a mobile device app, toperform a portion of a payment transaction process and complete thepayment transaction process by transmitting data to a terminal thatsupports a function that is unsupported by the customer mobile device(e.g., print a receipt) or the customer is not permitted to perform viathe mobile device or the app (e.g., make a cash payment and make changefrom a cash drawer).

In facility monitoring context, facility monitoring personnel may beprovided options for locking and unlocking doors located only in aproximate location of a mobile device of a security guard. Similarly, ina library item checkout context, a patron may be provided with optionsto checkout items in part by scanning item barcodes on their mobiledevice and then be presented with an option to select a self-servicecheckout station on which to complete the item checkout process that isproximately located with regard to the patron.

However, as mentioned above, the embodiments described herein aredescribed primarily in the context of payment transactions. However, thebasic premise of some embodiments in filtering options presented onmobile devices through identification of devices proximately located toa mobile device is equally applicable and beneficial in many othercontexts.

Some such embodiments are enabled by a positioning solution deployedwithin a facility, such as a store, restaurant, library, prison or jail,other facility, park, yard, and the like. A positioning system mayinclude one or more devices that broadcast signals that are received bymobile devices. In some embodiments, positioning system devices maybroadcast a radio signal that includes data encoded therein. The encodeddata may be an identifier of the positioning device that broadcast thesignal. The identifier may be used as an index to obtain positioningdata, data identifying one or more terminals, or other data that may beused to identify a terminal in proximity to the positioning device thatbroadcast the received signal. The positioning data may be obtained fromdata stored on the mobile device or as may be accessible via a wirelessconnection of the mobile device from another device, such as a server orcloud-based web service. In other embodiments, a signal broadcast by apositioning system device may include positioning data that indicates aposition, can be used to determine a position or identifies one or moreterminals within proximity of the broadcasting device. Some suchembodiments may also utilize a strength of a received signal todetermine, or assume based on a threshold signal strength configuration,a distance of the mobile device from a positioning system device. Due tothe nature of signaling, such as radio frequency signaling, a determineddistance is typically not an actual distance, but rather a relative orapproximate distance between a mobile device and a positioning systemdevice. Thus, a distance may be assumed based on the strength of signalin view of one or more signal strength thresholds of a process thatidentifies terminals proximately located to a mobile device.

The positioning system devices, in some embodiments, may include a radiotransceiver device, such as a Bluetooth® beacon device. Among others,such beacon devices as are available from NCR Corporation of Duluth, Ga.among other manufacturers. The positioning system devices may also oralternatively include Wi-Fi® wireless Access Point (WAP) devices in someembodiments. In other embodiments, the positioning system devices maybroadcast one or more of ultrasonic and light-based signals that areimperceptible to humans.

The positioning system devices may be standalone devices, integratedwithin another device or terminal, such as checkout stations,point-of-sale (POS) terminals, Self-Service Terminals (SSTs) (e.g.,self-service checkout stations, computer-enabled kiosks, AutomatedTeller Machines (ATMs)), and the like.

In some other embodiments, rather than relying upon a positioning systemdeployed within a facility, a mobile device app may obtain positioningdata from a Global Positioning System (GPS) device present on the mobiledevice, a positioning service accessible via a network such as theInternet that determiners mobile device position based on one or more ofwireless network towers and wireless access points to which the mobiledevice is connected to, or a combination of such solutions. However,knowledge of an exact position or knowing a position of the mobiledevice is not necessary in all embodiments. The goal of the positioningsolution is instead to provide a mobile device app with informationidentifying terminals in proximity to the mobile device that supportpayment transaction functions that are unsupported on the mobile device.While an exact position may be used to identify such terminals,knowledge of a positioning system device within a certain radius of themobile device can be sufficient in some embodiments in view of data thatidentifies terminals in proximity to the positioning system device. Insome embodiments, identities of those terminals may be found in a lookuptable or other data structure that associates terminals with anidentifier of a positioning system device from which the mobile devicereceives a signal. In other embodiments, the positioning system devicemay broadcast one or more signals that include encoded data identifyingthe terminals.

As strength of signals between mobile devices and positing systemdevices may be affected by distance, signal strength may be used in someembodiments to further refine proximate positioning of a mobile devicein relation to positing system devices and one or more terminals.However, signal strength may also be affected by environmentalvariables. As such, some signal strength positing embodiments mayinclude configurable options that may be specific to an installedpositioning system or with regard to specific positioning system devicesthereof.

Through such embodiments, a payment transaction process device is ableto identify one or more terminals that are available not only for use,but for convenience, security, and productivity purposes. A clerk,customer, or other user may be presented with an option to choose aterminal to utilize in completing a transaction with tasks such asreceipt printing, providing cash, check, or gift certificate payments,verifying an identity to purchase a controlled good (e.g., tobacco,alcohol, and certain pharmaceutical products), and other tasks. Someembodiments, when presenting the clerk, customer, or other user with theoption to choose a terminal include presenting terminal options withregard to only certain terminals, such as terminals that are currentlyonline, terminals that are not in use by others, only terminals capableof performing all needed functions to complete the transaction, and thelike.

Some embodiments also provide an ability for a customer, clerk, or otherpersonnel to start a payment transaction process on a mobile device,also referred to as pre-staging a transaction, and to transfer thepre-staged transaction to a terminal, such as a checkout station. Thereare many use cases for pre-staged transactions, such as a customerscanning products as they are added to a cart and pre-staging thetransaction to make the checkout process faster, clerks scanningcustomer selected products while waiting in line at a checkout stationattended to by another clerk during peak customer periods, among others.

When a payment transaction process is at a point where the user desiresto pre-stage and transfer the transaction, a mobile device app optionmay be user selected and the terminal to which the transactionautomatically determined based on proximity determination as discussedabove and elsewhere herein. In other embodiments, a plurality of optionsmay be determined and presented to the user for selection.

In some other embodiments, a transaction may also be transferred from aterminal to a mobile device. For example, while at a terminal, thecustomer may have questions with regard to a product or a product pricecheck may need to be performed. In such instances, an option may bepresented to choose from one or more mobile devices that are proximatelylocated to either the terminal or to a certain location in a store, suchas close to a shelf location where the product in need of a price checkis stored. In such embodiments, mobile devices of personnel moving aboutthe store may periodically report their determined proximate positionsto a store management system or the terminal may transmit a query tomobile devices in the store that are proximately located to the neededlocation. In other embodiments, positioning system devices may identifydevices within which they are communicating. This data may then be usedto not only report locations to the store management system, but also oralternatively, in some embodiments, to provide data from which mobiledevice apps may base presented terminal options. In such embodiments,data processing to identify terminal proximately located to a mobiledevice may be performed on a server rather than on the mobile deviceitself.

These and other embodiments are described herein with regard to thefigures.

In the following detailed description, reference is made to theaccompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which is shown byway of illustration specific embodiments in which the inventive subjectmatter may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficientdetail to enable those skilled in the art to practice them, and it is tobe understood that other embodiments may be utilized and thatstructural, logical, and electrical changes may be made withoutdeparting from the scope of the inventive subject matter. Suchembodiments of the inventive subject matter may be referred to,individually and/or collectively, herein by the term “invention” merelyfor convenience and without intending to voluntarily limit the scope ofthis application to any single invention or inventive concept if morethan one is in fact disclosed.

The following description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limitedsense, and the scope of the inventive subject matter is defined by theappended claims.

The functions or algorithms described herein are implemented inhardware, software, or a combination of software and hardware in oneembodiment. The software comprises computer executable instructionsstored on computer readable media such as memory or other type ofstorage devices. Further, described functions may correspond to modules,which may be software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof.Multiple functions are performed in one or more modules as desired, andthe embodiments described are merely examples. The software is executedon a digital signal processor, Application Specific Integrated Circuit(ASIC), microprocessor, or other type of processor operating on asystem, such as a personal computer, server, a router, or other devicecapable of processing data including network interconnection devices.

Some embodiments implement the functions in two or more specificinterconnected hardware modules or devices with related control and datasignals communicated between and through the modules, or as portions ofan application-specific integrated circuit. Thus, the exemplary processflow is applicable to software, firmware, and hardware implementations.

FIG. 1 is a map of devices and system components deployed in a retailenvironment, according to an example embodiment. The map is an exampleof a store 100 having a plurality of aisles, two POS checkout stations106, 108, and an SST checkout station 102. The store also includes fivemobile gateways (MG) 130, 132, 134, 136, 138.

An MG 130, 132, 134, 136, 138 includes a smart controller withpre-loaded software that enables mobile devices to access traditionalretail peripherals, such as one or more of scanners, cash drawers,payment terminals, and receipt printers. An MG 130, 132, 134, 136, 138can also be fitted with a stand to hold a mobile device while servingyour customers, although the mobile device need not be fitted to such astand to interact with and utilize the particular MG 130, 132, 134, 136,138. A MG 130, 132, 134, 136, 138 generally offer a small-footprint thatcan be conveniently and unobtrusively placed throughout the store 100 tohandle transactions and service customer needs beyond just a mobiledevice alone. As such, the MGs 130, 132, 134, 136, 138 are deployedthrough the store 100, such as on the ends of some aisles. MGs areavailable from NCR Corporation of Duluth, Ga.

The store 100 also includes a network (not illustrated) that connectsdevices deployed throughout and utilized within the store. The networkmay include wired connections to terminals (i.e., POS checkout stations106 and 108, SST checkout station 102, and MGs 130, 132, 134, 136, 138)and wireless access points (WAPs) 112, 114 that may be utilized toconnect one or more of the terminals and mobile devices 152, 154 thatmay be utilized in a roaming manner throughout the store.

Also deployed throughout the store 100 are beacon devices 104, 110, 120,122, 124, 126, 128 of a positioning system. Some of the beacon devices,such as beacon devices 120 and 124, may be standalone devices that aredeployable at any location within the store 100. Some other beacondevices may be integrated within or coupled to a terminal or otherdeployed device, such as beacon devices 104, 110, 122, 126, and 128 thatare each integrated within or coupled to an SST, POS, or MG terminal.

In some embodiments, the beacon devices 104, 110, 120, 122, 124, 126,128 broadcast a signal with an encoded data element that is unique toeach respective beacon device 104, 110, 120, 122, 124, 126, 128. Theseunique codes may be added to a store 100 computing system (notillustrated) that may be present in the store or elsewhere or accessiblevia another network such as the Internet that may be connected to thestore network. Each code added to such a system may then be associatedwith zero to many terminals that are in proximity to the respectivebeacon device 104, 110, 120, 122, 124, 126, 128. For example, a uniquecode of the beacon device 122 may be associated in stored data with bothMGs 130 and 132. Similarly, a unique code of beacon device 126 may beregistered with MG 126 as well as POS checkout stations 106 and 108. Theassociations of the beacon device 104, 110, 120, 122, 124, 126, 128codes to terminals may also include data representative of peripheraldevices connected to and functions possible on each of the terminalsThis data may be stored in a file, a database, or other data structureor data management system. This data may also be included in a mobiledevice 152, 154 app, a configuration thereof, or otherwise stored on amobile device 152, 154 for access when needed.

In some embodiments, a beacon device 104, 110, 120, 122, 124, 126, 128may include a copy of this association data as may be sent to therespective beacon device 104, 110, 120, 122, 124, 126, 128 over a wiredor wireless network connection or otherwise stored to a memory devicethereof. One or more of the beacon devices 104, 110, 120, 122, 124, 126,128 may broadcast a form of this data encoded in its broadcast signal.This broadcast data may include data representative of the terminals andtheir capabilities that are proximate to the particular beacon device104, 110, 120, 122, 124, 126, 128. However, in other embodiments, amobile device 152, 152 may cause a transceiver device thereof tobroadcast a request signal when terminal data is needed during thecourse of a payment transaction process requesting the terminal datafrom any beacon devices 104, 110, 120, 122, 124, 126, 128 that receivethe broadcast.

In some embodiments, identifying terminals proximately located to amobile device 152, 154 may also evaluate signal strength, such as thestrength of a Bluetooth® Low Energy (BLE) signal. The signal strengthmay be considered on one or both of the mobile device 152, 154 andbeacon device 104, 110, 120, 122, 124, 126, 128. Due to the nature ofsignaling, such as radio frequency signaling, a determined distance istypically not an actual distance, but rather a relative or approximatedistance between a mobile device and a positioning system device. Thus,a distance may be assumed based on the strength of signal in view of oneor more signal strength thresholds of a mobile device, beacon device, orother process that identifies terminals proximately located to a mobiledevice. In some such embodiments, the signal strength consideration mayoperate as a filter when many signals are received, such as by themobile device 152. The mobile device may receive a signal from thebeacon device 122 and from the beacon device 110. The signal from thebeacon device 122 will likely be strong as the beacon device 122 is inrelatively close proximity to the mobile device 152. At the same time,the signal received from the beacon device 110 will be of a lower signalstrength when received due at least to the greater distance between thebeacon device 110 and the mobile device 152. Thus, based not only on thereceived beacon device 110, 122 signals, but also on the strength ofthese received signals, terminal options presented, suggested, orautomatically chosen by an app on the mobile device 152 or other processthat may execute on a different device or server, may filter out thebeacon device 110 from consideration as it is not in close proximity tothe mobile device 152. Accordingly, even when the mobile device 152 isable to receive signals from a particular beacon device, the signalstrength consideration provides a mechanism through which more distantterminals may be removed from consideration.

Regardless of the particular mode of locating terminals proximate to alocation of a mobile device 152, 154 as a clerk or customer roamsthroughout the store 100, data with regard to the proximate terminals isreceived by the app of the mobile device 152, 154.

In some embodiments, rather than or in addition to using one or morebeacon devices 104, 110, 120, 122, 124, 126, 128 of a positioningsystem, WAPs 112, 114 may be utilized. An identifier of a WAP 112, 114may be an internet protocol (IP) address or other data that may beincluded in headers or elsewhere within data packets transmitted by theWAPs 112, 114. Thus, when a mobile device 152, 154 is connected to aparticular WAP 112, 114, the identifying data of the WAP 112, 114 may beidentified within one or more packets. The WAP 112, 114 identifying datamay be registered and associated with the various terminals anddistributed to the mobile devices 152, 154 similarly to the registrationof the beacon device 104, 110, 120, 122, 124, 126, 128 unique codes.

FIG. 2 is a logical block diagram of mobile device, according to anexample embodiment. In one embodiment, multiple such computer systemsare utilized in a distributed network to implement multiple componentsin a transaction-based environment. An object-oriented,service-oriented, or other architecture may be used to implement suchfunctions and communicate between the multiple systems and components.One example computing device in the form of a mobile device 210 mayinclude a processing unit 202, memory 204, and non-removable storage214. In some embodiments, the mobile device 210 may also includeremovable storage 212. The mobile device 210, in various embodiments,may be a tablet, a smartphone, a handheld computing device (e.g., aniPod device available from Apple, Inc. of Cupertino, Calif. or otherhandheld computing device on which apps or other forms of software canbe installed and executed). Although the example computing device isillustrated and described as a mobile device 210, the computing devicemay be in different forms in different embodiments. For example, thecomputing device may instead be a mobile or laptop computer, atablet/laptop hybrid device, a custom developed device, or deviceincluding the same or similar elements as illustrated and described withregard to FIG. 2. Further, although the various data storage elementsare illustrated as part of the mobile device 210, the storage may alsoor alternatively include cloud-based storage accessible via a network,such as the Internet.

Returning to the mobile device 210, memory 204 may include volatilememory 206 and non-volatile memory 208. Mobile device 210 may include—orhave access to a computing environment that includes a variety ofcomputer-readable media, such as volatile memory 206 and non-volatilememory 208, removable storage 212 and non-removable storage 214.Computer storage includes random access memory (RAM), read only memory(ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM) & electricallyerasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory or othermemory technologies and non-transitory computer readable mediums. Mobiledevice 210 may include or have access to a computing environment thatincludes a display 216 that may also include an input such as atouchscreen, output 218, and a communication connection 220.

The mobile device 210 may also include or be wire or wirelessly coupledto one or more of a touchpad, trackpad, mouse, keyboard, camera, barcodescanner, bankcard (e.g., credit card, debit card, gift card, etc.)reader, and other input devices. The output 218 may include one or moreaudio output devices such as speaker and a headphone jack, a tactileoutput device (i.e., a device that causes the mobile device 210 toprovide a vibratory signal), one or more LED lights, a receipt printer,among others depending on the particular embodiment. These variousoutputs 218 may be integrated as a part of the mobile device 210 orcoupled, wired or wirelessly, thereto.

The mobile device 210 typically operates in a networked environmentusing one or more communication connections 220 to connect to or receivebroadcast data from positioning devices and one or more remote computerssuch as terminals (e.g., POS, SST, and MG terminals as illustrated anddescribed with regard to FIG. 1), database servers, web servers, andother computing devices. The one or more communication connections mayinclude one or more radio transceiver devices, such as one or more of aWi-Fi® communication device, a Bluetooth® communication device, a meshnetwork communication device, a mobile network communication device(i.e., a network operated by a company that may be referred to as amobile carrier such as Verizon Wireless® or AT&T®), and the like.

Computer-readable instructions stored on a computer-readable medium areexecutable by the processing unit 202 of the mobile device 210, such asmay be stored in the memory 204. For example, various computer programs225 or apps, such as one or more apps, applications, and modulesimplementing one or more of the methods illustrated and described hereinor an app or application that executes on a mobile device or isaccessible via a web browser, may be stored on a non-transitorycomputer-readable medium of the mobile device 210.

One such app stored in the memory of the mobile device 210 is a paymenttransaction processing app that may be utilized by a store clerk orcustomer to scan products via an input as described above or selectproducts or services from a present listing of products and services togenerate a bill of sale. The app may further receive input with regardto other portions of a payment transaction, such as a mobile paymentaccount identifier and password, bankcard information that may be readby a bankcard reader or input by the user, receive a signature with auser interface presented on a touchscreen, and the like. Such a mobiledevice 210 app also operates to identify a terminal capable ofperforming one or more payment processing functions that are unsupportedby the mobile device 210 and app, such as printing a receipt, receivinga cash payment, among others as described elsewhere herein and as wouldbe readily apparent to one having ordinary skill in the art. The mobiledevice 210 app may also pre-stage a transaction to be completed at or ona terminal that may be similarly identified. When more than one terminalis identified in such embodiments, selectable terminal options may beprovided or a terminal may be automatically selected by the app or aservice or process that executes on a different computing device, suchas a terminal or networked server. The mobile device 210 app may thentransmit the relevant data to the terminal, either directly or via anetworked data processing infrastructure support payment processingtransactions.

FIG. 3 is a block flow diagram of a method 300, according to an exampleembodiment. The method 300 is an example of a process that may beexecuted on a mobile device, in whole or in part, as part of a platformor operating system service of a mobile device that may be provided asone or more functions callable by mobile device apps. In otherembodiments, the method 300 is an example of a process that may beperformed in whole or in part by an app that executes on a mobiledevice. In other embodiments, the method 300 is performed in part by oneor more mobile device platform or operating system services and in partby a process that is part of a mobile device app. In yet furtherembodiments, the method 300 may be performed on a mobile computer suchas a laptop in whole, in part, by one or both of an application andoperating system service.

The method 300 includes receiving 302 a positioning signal. Thepositioning signal may be received from a radio, ultrasonic, infrared,or other type of beacon device in various embodiments. The method 300further includes identifying 304 a terminal associated with thepositioning signal and transmitting 306 an instruction to the identifiedterminal via a wireless data communication device of the mobile device,such as a Wi-Fi®, Bluetooth®, or other wireless data communicationdevice that may be present on the mobile device.

In some embodiments of the method 300, receiving 302 the positioningsignal includes receiving a radio signal from a beacon device deployedat a facility location. In such embodiments, the received 302 radiosignal includes data encoded therein that is an index into stored datarepresentative of terminals associated with the positioning signal.

In another embodiment of the method 300, the identifying 304 andtransmitting 306 are performed by at least one process of a transactionprocessing app stored on a memory device and executed by at least oneprocessor of the mobile device. In some such embodiments, receiving 302the positioning signal includes receiving a plurality of positioningsignals from a plurality of beacon devices deployed at differentfacility locations. When a plurality of positioning signals are received302, identifying 304 the terminal associated with the positioning signalincludes identifying terminals with regard to each of the receivedpositioning signals. In such embodiments, the method 300 may furtherinclude providing, within a user interface of the transaction processingapp, an option to select one of the identified terminals to which theinstruction will be transmitted 306.

Some such embodiments may further include the transaction processing appidentifying peripheral devices connected to the identified terminal andmodifying transaction processing options within the transactionprocessing app based on the peripheral devices identified as connectedto the identified terminal. One transaction processing option may bewith regard to types of payment that may be presented, such as cash,credit card and the like based on peripheral devices integrated withinand coupled to the terminal.

Modifying the transaction processing options within the transactionprocessing app may include providing an option to transfer a purchasetransaction from the transaction processing app to the identifiedterminal (e.g., pre-staging as discussed above). In such embodiments ofthe method 300, the transmitting 306 of the instruction to theidentified terminal includes transmitting purchase transaction data fromthe transaction processing app and an instruction to take over thepurchase transaction to the identified terminal. This data may betransmitted from the mobile device to the identified terminal eitherdirectly via a network, via a peer-to-peer connection as may beestablished on an ad hoc basis via Bluetooth® or other radio transceiverdevices equally present on the mobile device and identified terminal,via a server, or otherwise depending on the embodiment and thecommunication infrastructure thereof.

FIG. 4 is a block flow diagram of a method 400, according to an exampleembodiment. The method 400 is another example of a process that may beexecuted on a mobile device in similar arrangements between a mobiledevice app and mobile device platform or operating system processes andmobile or laptop computer operating system processes or software.

In some embodiments, the method 400 includes identifying 402 a terminalassociated with a positioning signal received via at least onetransceiver device of the computing device. The method 400 furtherincludes transmitting, via the least one transceiver device to theidentified terminal, an instruction for the identified terminal toperform a data processing task related to a payment transactioninitiated with an application that executes on a device performing themethod 400. In some embodiments, the positioning signal is received andthe instruction is transmitted via a single transceiver device.

Another embodiment is in the form of a mobile device, such as a tablet,smartphone, or similar device-type. The mobile device includes at leastone data communication transceiver device, at least one processor and atleast one memory device. The memory device stores instructionsexecutable by the at least one processor to process a positioning signalreceived via the at least one data communication transceiver device toidentify at least one terminal associated with the positioning signal.The instructions are further executable to receive user input into andprovide a view on a display of the mobile device with regard to apayment transaction initiated thereon. The mobile device may furtherreceive an input command to perform a payment transaction function thatis not supported on the mobile device but is supported on the identifiedterminal. The instructions are further executable in such circumstancesto transmit a command and any data needed to carry out the command viathe data communication transceiver device to the identified terminal.

It will be readily understood to those skilled in the art that variousother changes in the details, material, and arrangements of the partsand method stages which have been described and illustrated in order toexplain the nature of the inventive subject matter may be made withoutdeparting from the principles and scope of the inventive subject matteras expressed in the subjoined claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method performed by at least one process of atransaction processing app stored on a memory device and executed by atleast one processor of a mobile device, the method comprising:completing, by the transaction processing app, a first phase of atransaction; and transferring by the transaction processing app thetransaction to a terminal to perform a second phase of the transaction,including: receiving, by the transaction processing app, a positioningsignal from the terminal; identifying, by the transaction processingapp, the terminal based upon the positioning signal; determining, by thetransaction processing app, peripheral devices connected to theidentified terminal including at least one peripheral device requiredfor the second phase of the transaction; modifying transactionprocessing options within the transaction processing app based on theperipheral devices determined as connected to the identified terminal,including providing an option to transfer the transaction from thetransaction processing app to the identified terminal and thedetermining including determining a cash drawer is connected to theidentified terminal; enabling a transaction processing option responsiveto the determining the cash drawer is connected within the transactionprocessing app to receive cash as a form of payment; and transmitting,by the transaction processing app, transaction data and an instructionto take over the transaction to the identified terminal via a wirelessdata communication device of the mobile device.
 2. A mobile devicecomprising: at least one data communication transceiver device; at leastone processor and at least one memory device, the memory device storinginstructions of a transaction processing app executable by the at leastone processor to: completing a first phase of a transaction; andtransferring the transaction to a terminal to perform a second phase ofthe transaction, including: receiving a positioning signal from theterminal; identifying the terminal based upon the positioning signal;determining peripheral devices connected to the identified terminalincluding at least one peripheral device required for the second phaseof the transaction; modifying transaction processing options within thetransaction processing app based on the peripheral devices determined asconnected to the identified terminal, including providing an option totransfer the transaction from the transaction processing app to theidentified terminal and the determining including determining whether acash drawer is connected to the identified terminal; when a cash draweris connected to the terminal, enabling a transaction processing optionwithin the transaction processing app to receive cash as a form ofpayment, otherwise disabling the transaction processing option withinthe transaction processing app to receive cash as a form of payment; andtransmitting transaction data and an instruction to take over thetransaction to the identified terminal via the least one datacommunication transceiver device.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein thesecond phase of the transaction comprises printing a receipt and whereinthe at least one peripheral device comprises a printer for printing thereceipt.
 4. The mobile device of claim 2, wherein the at least one datacommunication transceiver device includes a Bluetooth® device thatreceives the positioning signal.
 5. The mobile device of claim 4,wherein the at least one data communication transceiver device furtherincludes a wireless network interface device.
 6. The mobile device ofclaim 2, wherein the second phase of the transaction is not supported onthe mobile device.
 7. The mobile device of claim 2, wherein the terminalcomprises a checkout station.
 8. The mobile device of claim 2, wherein:processing the positioning signal includes processing a plurality ofpositioning signals received from a plurality of beacon devices deployedat different facility locations to identify terminals associated witheach of the positioning signals; and the instructions are furtherexecutable by the at least one processor to present a selectable optionon a display of the mobile device to select one of the identifiedterminals to which the instruction will be transmitted.